Letter from the Head of School < < < < < < < < < < < < “I have found from working at Cannon that our school’s greatest resource is the critical mass of competent and caring people who know how to get along and who actually relish working together because of what is accomplished and what is learned about the other.” Dear Cannon Families, Mark Wrighton, the Chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis, often speaks of the critical mass of talented people working at and affiliated with the university who truly set the school apart within the nation and the world. He will say that buildings, projects, and programs are either secondary to or a direct result of the talented people within the university community. I agree with Chancellor Wrighton that it is always the people within the place that define the institution. But I want to build on the Chancellor’s concept. I have found from working at Cannon that our school’s greatest resource is the critical mass of competent and caring people who know how to get along and who actually relish working together because of what is accomplished and what is learned about the other. Talent needs a relational context and focus. This edition of Cannon Magazine is all about our greatest resource, the people working at and affiliated with Cannon School. You will have the opportunity to read and learn about people new to our community along with people who have been here awhile who will be doing new things at our school. You can learn about the people associated with the incredible beginning of education that children at this school experience; you can learn about our students at the conclusion of their experience at Cannon. You can learn about children and faculty all along this broad spectrum of learning and even a thing or two about those who have concluded their education here and have returned to be re-engaged in one way or another. Matthew E. Gossage, Head of School I love the focus of this edition. It is the focus and the fuel of daily life at Cannon. It is what sets us apart in the world of independent schools. Enjoy your time reading about the people at Cannon School. Sincerely, CANNON MAGAZINE | WINTER 2015 | 3